Foreword

WEDNESDAY 25TH OCTOBER

CONDUCTING MASTERCLASSES

Wednesday 25th October, Great Hall, Ulster University, Magee Equal Voice Masterclass, 10.00 Mixed Voice Masterclass, 13.30

FREE ENTRY, OPEN TO ALL

Guest choir: Ulster University Chamber Choir, directed by Shaun Ryan

Each masterclass will be led by a member of the international panel of adjudicators and will feature the Ulster University Chamber Choir as the resident choir. Sessions will include discussions on choral training, conducting techniques, score preparation, repertoire selection and choir management.

10.00: Registration 10.20: Welcome and introduction

Dónal Doherty, Artistic Director of the Festival

10.30: Session 1: Equal Voice Masterclass/Workshop led by Amy Bebbington

Amy is the Director of Training for the Association of British Choral Directors, an organisation that sits at the forefront of choral conductor training in the UK. Until recently, she was Choral Director for the Royal College of Music Junior Department Choirs, and currently leads the Licentiate Diploma Course (Choral Conducting, Teaching) at the Royal Academy of Music. She was Course Director for the National Youth Choir of Great Britain Girls’ Course this spring and is a regular NYCGB Musicianship Tutor.

12.30: Lunch

13.30: Session 2: Mixed Voice Masterclass/Workshop led by Josep Vila i Casañas

Josep is one of the most recognised choral conductors in Catalonia and Spain. Since 2005 he has been a Professor of Choral Conducting at the Music High School of Catalonia. In addition to teaching, he is regularly a guest professor at international masterclasses, and as a chorus master he has collaborated with some of the best conductors in the world, including Daniel Barenboim, Simon Rattle and Gustavo Dudamel.

15.30: Closing Comments Ulster University Chamber Choir

The Ulster University Chamber Choir has gained popular and critical acclaim for its distinctive performances. Shaun Ryan, Senior Lecturer in Music and Choral Director, has been instrumental in developing the choir’s reputation over the last 15 years. The choir regularly contributes to charity fund-raising, and has been the focus of numerous TV and radio broadcasts.

Association of Irish Choirs

The City of Derry International Choir Festival is delighted to welcome the support of the Association of Irish Choirs (AOIC) in the form of a special bursary to attend its 39th International Choral Conducting Summer School in August 2018. This will be awarded to a conductor at the festival who, in the opinion of the Festival Committee, displays outstanding promise in either the national competitions or as a participant in the conducting masterclasses.

WEDNESDAY 25TH OCTOBER

EVENING CONCERT

THE REAL GROUP

St. Columb’s Hall, 19.30

THE REAL GROUP

Emma Nilsdotter Lisa Östergren Anders Edenroth Morten Vinther Janis Strazdins

The Real Group is a ground-breaking a cappella ensemble from Sweden. With voice as its sole instrument, the group has created a unique musical expression drawing on the worlds of jazz, pop and Nordic European choral music. It was founded in 1984 by fve students of the Royal Academy of Music in Sweden. The group quickly gained an international audience and has been touring the world for more than 30 years. Its wide repertoire and musical excellence have enabled it to collaborate with symphony orchestras, jazz groups, pop bands and renowned artists such as Barbara Hendricks, Toots Thielemans and Sir George Martin. The Real Group is a part of an ongoing special project called LEVELELEVEN in conjunction with the Finnish vocal group Rajaton. Besides the musical collaboration, this cross-border interaction showcases how music can unite and inspire, rather than being divisive or competitive. The Real Group also focuses on education, and through workshops and coaching aims to inspire singers and teachers around the world. The Real Group will perform a selection of pieces that encompass folk music, jazz tunes and old favourites. They will also perform some new songs from their forthcoming album ‘Elements’, which will be released in December 2017.

THURSDAY 26TH OCTOBER

COMPETITIONS

Primary School Competitions St. Columb’s Hall, 10.30 – 13.30

Primary Unison Competition

GUEST PERFORMANCE BY ELLER GIRLS’ CHOIR, ESTONIA

1. Holy Family Primary School, Omagh (Maura Dolan)

Colours of the Wind, Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz I Wanna Be Like You, Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman

2. Nazareth House Primary School, Derry (Joanna Higgins)

Grizelda, Clifford Crawley Irish Blessing, Philip Stopford

Primary Partsong Competition

GUEST PERFORMANCE BY MUNDUS CANTAT, POLAND 1. Nazareth House Primary School, Derry (Joanna Higgins)

You’ll Never Walk Alone, Richard Rodgers, arr. Mark Brymer Get on Board This Train, Don Besig and Nancy Price

2. St. Mary’s Primary School, Strabane (Jenny Grant)

Just the Way You Are, Bruno Mars, arr. Adam Anders and Tim Davis Oh, Happy Day/Ain’t No Mountain High Enough from Gospel Train Medley, arr. Alexander L’Estrange

3. St. Colmcille’s Primary School, Claudy (Kellie McLaughlin)

May the Road Rise to Meet You, Trad., arr. Lori True True Colours, Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly

4. Holy Family Primary School, Omagh (Maura Dolan)

Ave Verum, Mozart, arr. George Oakey Ask Me To Sing, Sally K. Albrecht and Jay Althouse

BIG SING WORKSHOP WITH ORLA FLANAGAN

The primary school adjudications will take place immediately after the Big Sing workshop.